Croatia - double entry Schengen visa?

[jennyumaa]

Hi! We are US permanent residents and will get Schengen visa for the Mediterranean cruise next year. Given that this is the fourth time for us to get the Schengen visa, I don't expect a problem. However, in the past we only applied for single-entry visas. 

 

After booking our DCL cruise, I realized one of the stop is Dubrovnik, Croatia, which is out of the Schengen zone. Google results show that I can enter Croatia without a visa as long as we have double or multiple entry Schengen visa.

 

My question is: If I show the cruise itinerary, how hard is it to get double-entry Schengen? Since visa results will not be known until a few weeks before departure, I am afraid it will be too late for me to cancel. Should I play safe and pick an itinerary within the Schengen area?

 

Thanks!

[Host Bonjour]

Hi!

 

I think above all, you need to do what provides you with the most peace of mind. If in the past you've always been able to obtain Schengen visas to travel (single entry?) then it stands to reason you can obtain one again as long as all the same requirements are met again now for a single entry visa. 

 

I believe you can only apply for the double entry visa to accommodate the Croatia visit and reenter the Schengen zone. Multiple entry visas are for persons that will be spending longer periods of time generally living, working, or studying in/out of the zone or if an emergency medical situation precipitated the need for such transit. 

 

Since the requirements appear to be the same for both the single and double entry visas, it seems likely that you would receive them. Have you contacted your cruise line? Do you use a travel agent? The cruise line surely will not give you a definitive answer but they are probably quite knowledgeable on the subject; if they can't inform their guests, they can't hope to get them onboard! Agents would probably also be similarly informed. Individual facts and circumstances would be the only thing that they would be unable to ascertain that could vary from guest to guest, case to case.

 

If you are truly concerned it won't go your way, then indeed I'd book a Schengen-only cruise itinerary. Perhaps there are countries, ports you haven't visited yet. Or maybe wait until the geopolitical environment improves...seems like there's some progress in Europe and here, ...oh, hopefully. 😉 Good luck and let us know how it goes. 

 

 

 

 

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-types/

[jennyumaa]

On 10/20/2019 at 6:29 PM, Host Bonjour said:

Hi!

 

I think above all, you need to do what provides you with the most peace of mind. If in the past you've always been able to obtain Schengen visas to travel (single entry?) then it stands to reason you can obtain one again as long as all the same requirements are met again now for a single entry visa. 

 

I believe you can only apply for the double entry visa to accommodate the Croatia visit and reenter the Schengen zone. Multiple entry visas are for persons that will be spending longer periods of time generally living, working, or studying in/out of the zone or if an emergency medical situation precipitated the need for such transit. 

 

Since the requirements appear to be the same for both the single and double entry visas, it seems likely that you would receive them. Have you contacted your cruise line? Do you use a travel agent? The cruise line surely will not give you a definitive answer but they are probably quite knowledgeable on the subject; if they can't inform their guests, they can't hope to get them onboard! Agents would probably also be similarly informed. Individual facts and circumstances would be the only thing that they would be unable to ascertain that could vary from guest to guest, case to case.

 

If you are truly concerned it won't go your way, then indeed I'd book a Schengen-only cruise itinerary. Perhaps there are countries, ports you haven't visited yet. Or maybe wait until the geopolitical environment improves...seems like there's some progress in Europe and here, ...oh, hopefully. 😉 Good luck and let us know how it goes. 

 

 

 

 

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-types/

 

Thank you very much for your detailed answer. I was watching the progress and it seems that Croatia's entry into the Schengen area is gaining support, but given how things are going in Europe, I am not hopeful everything will fall into place by next summer. So I booked an itinerary without Croatia. Our big loss, but it's better to have the peace of mind.

[Host Bonjour]

8 hours ago, jennyumaa said:

Thank you very much for your detailed answer. I was watching the progress and it seems that Croatia's entry into the Schengen area is gaining support, but given how things are going in Europe, I am not hopeful everything will fall into place by next summer. So I booked an itinerary without Croatia. Our big loss, but it's better to have the peace of mind.

 

I'm glad it was helpful and I am sorry too that you'll miss Croatia this time but it does seem to be gaining support for entry into the EU, and so hopefully soon enough a trip will be possible for you. I agree the peace of mind is outweighed by the potential benefit that you might have achieved by taking a risk with the visas. Most of your holiday would been filled with tension as you got nearer to Croatia, wondering whether or not you'd then have to book alternate plans to return home and risk missing out on the rest of your journey. It would definitely have left a cloud over the journey.

 

You made the smart choice and I am sure it'll be a memorable trip. Be sure to make new discoveries, unexpected treasures, and fun surprises; they are everywhere and it will help mitigate and residual disappointment for not having called at Dubrovnik, Split.

Smooth sailing 🙂 

[Cavtatlady]

Croatia has been in the European Union since 01 July 2013.  

[jennyumaa]

On 10/31/2019 at 11:16 PM, Cavtatlady said:

Croatia has been in the European Union since 01 July 2013.  

 

But no in Schengen.

[Still Dreaming]

I am just starting to research our cruise and was not aware of any visas needed.  I looked under  Travel.State.gov  .  I looked up every stop including croatia and it only requires passport.   What am I missing here?  We are not going through travel agent so just trying to get informed.

 

thanks

[dogs4fun]

35 minutes ago, Still Dreaming said:

I am just starting to research our cruise and was not aware of any visas needed.  I looked under  Travel.State.gov  .  I looked up every stop including croatia and it only requires passport.   What am I missing here?  We are not going through travel agent so just trying to get informed.

 

thanks

It depends on your citizenship - the OP stated that they are permanent residents of the US. If you are a US citizen and, thus, a US passport holder,  you need only your passport for Croatia. I would assume that the OP does not hold a US passport but holds a green card which allows them permanent residence in the US. Permanent residents retain the citizenship of a country other than the US. It appears that a Schengen visa is required to visit Croatia due to the legal citizenship of the OP (whichever Country that may be).

Edited November 16, 2019 by dogs4fun

[Still Dreaming]

Ah!  thank you.  I guess I did not catch permanent resident vs citizen.  

[Host Bonjour]

3 hours ago, Still Dreaming said:

What am I missing here? 

 

#1

On 9/30/2019 at 5:25 PM, jennyumaa said:

We are US permanent residents

 

#2

On 9/30/2019 at 5:25 PM, jennyumaa said:

this is the fourth time for us to get the Schengen visa,

 

#3

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-types/

 

#4

On 10/31/2019 at 10:06 AM, jennyumaa said:

Croatia's entry into the Schengen area is gaining support

 

 

Sometimes the flow of information loses clarity in the back and forth so I've summed up the facts here to help readers determine if the scenario is similar to their circumstances. Hopefully this makes the information more accessible to everyone who is curious. 

[antiq]

I know sometimes the information was not clear, I rang the embassy and they confirmed on a cruise should not be a problem in entering.  I have always traveled with Schengen Visa to Europe, I am a permanent resident of Australia.  Always multiple entries visa.  In 2013 we went to Dubrovnik on MSC Divina and it was not an issue.